Of Drowning, Love, & Stuff
by dearheadlights
Summary: A Kannagi family beach trip...totally normal, right? Short fluff; one-shot.


A/N: Short fluff that came into my head while working on 'Into the Fire'. Not based on my other fics. I don't own anything about Kaze No Stigma.

...

* * *

**Of Drowning, Love, & Stuff**

**.**

"Don't think you can act all high and mighty! Not all of us are…are fish!"

Kazuma gave an all suffering sigh and rolled his eyes at the crimson haired girl in front of him, hand on her hip and the other pointed sharply in his direction. _How is swimming…or her lack thereof…possibly something she could get upset about?_

Ayano crossed her arms and Kazuma couldn't help but appreciate the way it made certain parts of her anatomy rise in her pale blue bikini. "Water is..water is just not something I'm meant for".

Kazuma raised an eyebrow, "Well, how do you know until you try? We're at the beach after all".

Ayano huffed, "Beaches are for sun. Besides," she added, slightly more timidly, "What if I drown?"

Kazuma snorted and pointed at the water, "You see that?" In the water, Ren was several meters away in what looked like, to Ayano, to be a mile out, but the water was only to his waist. Ren waved enthusiastically in their direction.

"It's like a kiddy pool out there".

Ayano had to confess that he seemed to have a point. Seeing her stance wavering Kazuma said, "I didn't think the future leader of the Kannagi family would be so afraid of getting wet…"

Ayano's face dyed a deep crimson to match her hair, "That's it Kazuma! I'll show you cowardly, you damn jerk!" She used the proclamation to propel her forward, wading into the water whose cool temperatures soon became warm from contact with her fuming skin.

Kazuma followed, a smirk on his lips but stopped when Ayano did. He looked at her wary eyes and rolled his own, "Come on". He took her arm and dragged her out further. Ayano blushed at the contact but followed, not knowing if the beating in her chest was fear or something else. _Why decide? _she thought, _with Kazuma it's all feelings at all times. Damn him._

When they got to waist deep water Kazuma stopped, "Now, get in".

"I—in?" Ayano whimpered, losing all of her bravado.

Kazuma sighed and squatted down, "In...like this".

Ayano looked at him and then burst out laughing. Kazuma shot up, his eyes narrowed, "What? Why are you laughing?"

"Y—you look like a duck...squatting," she said in between laughter.

Kazuma rolled his eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged on his lips. Her eyes were shining and head was thrown back even as she tried to suppress it. She was such an endearing picture at that moment that Kazuma had to take control before his thoughts wandered down her face, down her neck...

Before she could respond Ayano was suddenly pelted with a wave of water, soaking her from head to foot. She stopped moving, her mouth open in an 'o' of surprise, wet hair soaking red rivers on her arms, bangs sticking to her forehead.

Kazuma let out a laugh, glad his wind was good for further antagonization and closed his eyes with mirth. After a moment he opened them, noting that it was very quiet, only to realize that he'd made a mistake for two very important reasons.

The first hit him immediately as a bolt of heat shot down his body: she was a very attractive girl and being wet and glistening, pale suit clinging, did nothing to distract from it. And for Kazuma, who was a pro at avoiding that particular problem in their relationship, the fact that he'd caused this made him want to punch himself in the face. _I always have to make it harder on myself, don't I?_

The second reason was because she was livid, fire crackling at her fingertips and her eyes so red Kazuma took a step back, involuntarily.

"Ayano…" he began slowly, trying to back away and realizing that just made him look weak. He raised his palms as to signal stop, "Now just take a second…"

"YOU SLEAZY PERVERT! I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!"

Kazuma had only a second to react before he was thrown in the water. _Well, _he thought, _I guess I deserve this_. He wondered if it was normal to give in to sure death this quickly and decided that only Ayano could make him feel this guilty. He came to the surface and gasped for breath. He found an angry girl above him, glaring at his sputtering form.

He wiped his hair from his face, smiling, "Feel better?"

Ayano's eyes narrowed and she started for him again. He moved out of the way quickly and she fell forward and headfirst into the water. He reached for her and brought her up quickly, knowing that she wasn't ready for diving yet.

He was surprised when he felt her body shaking and he thought that maybe she was crying. He lifted her up by her arms and looked at her face, concerned, but instead found her laughing.

"That…that was so much fun!"

Kazuma's eyes widened and she moved out of his grasp and dipped herself into the water, grinning, "Wow. Come on, get in!"

Kazuma could only stare at her…the girl was definitely crazy. "I think you have multiple personalities," Kazuma muttered warily.

That made Ayano explode at him anew and try to drag him into the blue sea.

Ren watched the whole scene from a ways away. He turned to Jugo, who was floating beside him serenely on an inflatable raft, "Do you think they'll kill each other?"

The master didn't even open his eyes, dipping his arm in the water to propel himself backward, "Ren, my boy, violence is love".

Ren looked to the two figures fighting and splashing and yelling obscenities, smiling all the time.

"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THAT!"

He most certainly had to agree.

-Fin-

Short and...sweet? Ha. Please review!


End file.
